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Commodity Import and Export

Manuals 

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APHIS works with Federal and State partners and authorized cooperators to carry out

its mission of safeguarding U.S. agriculture and facilitating safe trade. The following

manuals are for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, APHIS Plant Protection and

Quarantine (PPQ) employees, and others authorized by PPQ to carry out official

commodity import and export operations. 

Visit the domestic program manuals page to see manuals related to domestic plant

health programs and emergency response operations.

Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements Search Tool

Go to ACIR

Use the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) search tool to look up

import requirements for many agricultural commodities, including:

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Processed fruits and vegetables

Cut flowers and greenery
Seeds not for planting

Plants and seeds for planting

For commodities not listed, please see the manuals below.

Use the "Facilities" search engine to find approved facilities by country and

commodity/activity.

Go to the “Help” tab to view short videos on how to use ACIR. For more help, email

the ACIR Help Desk.

Go to the “Feedback” tab to send suggestions to the ACIR team. 

Commodity Import Manuals

Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Monitoring (AQIM)

Provides instructions to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and PPQ employees on

implementing AQIM at designated work locations, training employees on risk

analysis and risk management basics, and using AQIM data to make better riskbased decisions.

AQIM Handbook (1.14 MB) (February 2024)

AQIM Worksheets

Air Cargo (375.29 KB)

Air Passenger Baggage (145.14 KB)

Mail Facility (132.98 KB)

Maritime Cargo (282.75 KB)

Northern Border Cargo - Perishables (283.26 KB)

Northern Border Vehicle (141.92 KB)

Preclearance Air Passenger

Predeparture Air Passenger -  AQI Monitoring Data (139.5 KB) (Hawaii and

Puerto Rico)

Southern Border Cargo (305.88 KB)

Southern Border Vehicle (140.32 KB)

AQIM Program Summary, Fiscal Year 2023 (316.46 KB)

Bulb Inspection Manual
Provides instructions to officers who will inspect bulbs for shipment to North

America.

Bulb Identification Manual (5.68 MB) (December 2011)

CITES I-II-III Timber Species Manual

Provides U.S. Customs and Border Protection and PPQ personnel with procedures for

enforcing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora

and Fauna (CITES) for Appendix I, Appendix II, and Appendix III timber species.

CITES I-II-III Timber Species Manual (5.35 MB) (January 2024)

Request for Services to Transport, Store, and/or Dispose of Seized or Forfeited

Shipments (147.59 KB) (Fillable PDF Worksheet) 

Federally Recognized State Managed Phytosanitary Program

Manual

Guides State Plant Regulatory Officials through the process of petitioning to

establish and maintain a federally recognized State managed phytosanitary program

.

Federally Recognized State Managed Phytosanitary (FRSMP) Program Manual

(2.3 MB) (March 2024)

Petition Worksheet (229.5 KB)

Plants for Planting Manual

Details procedures U.S. Customs and Border Protection and PPQ officials should use

to regulate imported plants and plant parts used for propagation.

Plants for Planting Manual (April 2024)

Use ACIR's "Facilities" search engine to find approved facilities by country and

commodity/activity.

Treatment Manual

Guides PPQ employees in selecting and conducting chemical and nonchemical

treatments to prevent the movement of agricultural pests into or within the United
States. Note: The procedures and treatment schedules in this manual are

authorized for use only by APHIS.

Treatment Manual (3.68 MB) (March 2024)

In-Transit Cold Treatment Approved Containers and Vessels Database

Supplemental Information: Methyl Bromide 2016 Label Comparison Table

(166.34 KB) (April 2023)

Use ACIR's "Facilities" search engine to find approved facilities by country and

commodity/activity.

See More See Less

Commodity Export Manuals

Export Program Manual

Provides instructions to Federal, State, and county Authorized Certification Officials

for inspecting plants and plant products and issuing Federal Export Certificates.

Export Program Manual (3.72 MB) (December 2023)

State and County Fee Remittance Worksheet (403.35 KB)

Certificates Issued Worksheet (47.2 KB)

Checks Collected Worksheet (103.29 KB)

Refund Request Worksheet (57.02 KB)

Model Letter for Documenting Major Errors on an Export Certificate (43 KB)

Held Shipment Worksheet (63.71 KB)

Held Shipment Worksheet (21.1 KB)

Appendix F: Collecting State and County Export Certificate Fees (214.01

KB)

See More See Less

Predeparture Program Manuals

Hawaii Manual
Instructs PPQ employees on regulating propagative and nonpropagative plants, plant

parts, and products and conveyances originating in Hawaii and moving to other

parts of the United States.

Hawaii Manual (2.44 MB) (March 2024)

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Manual

Instructs PPQ and U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees on regulating

propagative and nonpropagative plants, plant parts, and products and conveyance

carriers originating in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands and moving to the United

States or other Territories.

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Manual (2.11 MB)(February 2024)

Contact Us

Send comments or questions about these manuals to:

Manuals Unit

Email: ppq.irm.ismu.manuals.feedback@usda.gov